Saturday preview: six things to keep an eye on

G1 Caulfield Guineas - a stallion's race

What a terrific record this Classic - first run in 1881 - has of producing winners who have gone onto successful stud careers... 62 of its winners siring stakes winners.

And of those, 36 have been represented by Group 1 winners. Amongst that tally are the high-class stallions Wallace, Heroic, Ajax, Vain, Grosvenor, Redoute's Choice and Lonhro. And interestingly six Caulfield Guineas winners have between them sired 11 winners of the same race.

It is somewhat of an end to an era for the latter; with the final crop of Redoute's Choice now four, his days of having a Caulfield Guineas representative are over. However, he still makes his mark, appearing in the pedigrees of four of this year's runners.

Steparty (Artie Schiller {USA}) has Redoute's Choice as his second damsire, Wolfy (NZ) (Tivaci) has him as his third damsire, The Longest Yard is by Lean Mean Machine whose sire Zoustar is out of one of his daughters and Griff is by his grandson Trapeze Artist. He was bred by Widden Stud who also bred the Caulfield Guineas winners Our Maizcay and In Top Swing (Beautiful Crown {USA}).

Meanwhile Copacabana's (Toronado {Ire})'s third dam Twyla (Danehill {USA}) is Redoute's Choice's three-quarter sister. This Hawkes-trained runner has another couple of Caulfield Guineas links; his damsire is the 2001 winner Lonhro and he was bred by Gilgai Farm who bred the 2012 winner All Too Hard and the 2020 winner Ole Kirk.

One of the three runners for Justify (USA), Scentify also has a Caulfield Guineas winner as his broodmare sire, his dam being by All Too Hard. Plus he is related to a winner - sharing the same fourth dam, Gold Vink (NZ) (Gold Sovereign {GB}); as the 2009 winner Starspangledbanner.

Several others have links with previous Caulfield Guineas winners - Militarize (NZ) is by Dundeel (NZ) who sired the 2019 winner Super Seth; Southport Tycoon is by Written Tycoon who sired Ole Kirk; Rock Empire is by Deep Field whose full brother, Shooting To Win, was successful in 2014, and Scheelite (Real Steel {Jpn}) was bred by Arrowfield who also bred The Autumn Sun and Super Seth.

Twelve fillies (there are none running this year) have won the Caulfield Guineas and half of those have been stakes-winning producers including the wonderful Lady Wallace (Wallace) whose sons Balarang (Challenger) and Cisco (San Francisco {GB}) were both Group 1 winners.

What a race this year's edition promises to be with four impressive last-start winners taking each other on... the G1 Golden Rose winner Militarize, the G3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude winner Steparty, the G2 Bill Stutt S. winner Griff and the up-and-comer Wolfy.

Those exciting young horses will make for a great contest and the form lines don't stop there with other runners including the the G1 JJ Atkins S. winner King Colorado (Kingman {GB}), the two-time Group winner Veight (Grunt {NZ}) and the G1 Blue Diamond S. winner Little Brose (Per Incanto {USA}).

Damien Oliver has his final Caulfield Guineas ride on the latter - he has won the race on two occasions... three decades apart; Centro (NZ) in 1990 and Anamoe two years ago.

The Everest - 8 winners of 13 Group 1 races

Twelve horses face the starter for their share of the $20 million prizemoney on offer for the seventh running of this rich Randwick dash.

Eight of those have between them 13 Group 1 races... the TJ Smith S., the Epsom H., the Kingsford-Smith Cup, the Stradbroke, the Doomben 10,000, the Coolmore Stud S., the Newmarket H., the Coolmore Classic, the Golden Slipper S., the Cheveley Park S., the July Cup, the Coronation S. and the Sussex S.

As winner of the last four on that list, the imported mare Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}) is the most prolific Group 1 horse contesting this year's The Everest. She takes on two dual Group 1 winners - Think About It (So You Think {NZ}) and In Secret (I Am Invincible).

Three of this year's runners also took their place in last year's The Everest - Private Eye (Al Maher) a gallant second, Mazu (Maurice {Jpn}) a gusty third off a wide run and Overpass (Vancouver) not far away finishing sixth.

Last year Private Eye was second-up having recorded an easy fresh victory in the G2 Gilgai S. at Flemington, this time around he comes off a first-up G2 The Shorts win - second in a Randwick trial since.

Mazu was third-up last year, coming off a G2 Premiere S. second whilst this year he is second-up (though second in a Randwick trial since) having endured a tough run from a tricky gate when unplaced in The Shorts.

Also coming through The Shorts - run down only late - is Overpass who is second-up (winning a Rosehill trial since) whilst he was third-up (second in The Shorts and sixth in the Premiere) last year.

Of those three horses, Private Eye is the most strongly fancied by punters and he is one of the four runners who opened at single-figure odds - the others being I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel) who defeated last year's The Everest winner Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) in the TJ Smith in April, Think About It who is unbeaten second-up and Buenos Noches (Supido) who found trouble in running when chasing home Private Eye and Overpass in The Shorts.

The Redoute's Choice sireline has been the most successful in this race's short history - Snitzel siring the dual winner Redzel whilst his son Scissor Kick is the sire of Giga Kick - and Not A Single Doubt is the sire of Classique Legend.

There are two Redoute's Choice male-line descendants taking their place on Saturday - Espiona by Not A Single Doubt's son Extreme Choice and Shinzo by Snitzel.

G1 Might And Power S. - a G1 WS Cox Plate guide?

Hard to believe that it is 20 years since the mighty Lonhro recorded his second win in this weight-for-age sprint, a barnstorming (typical of him!) victory that saw him start an odds-on favourite in that year's G1 WS Cox Plate in which he finished a close-up third behind the warrior Fields Of Omagh (Rubiton).

Since that time the race has been won by a succession of high-class horses and it is interesting to see what sort of impact this race has had on the Cox Plate.

Fields Of Omagh contested this race (fourth to Casual Pass {Snippets}) before his second Cox Plate victory whilst the quinella in last year's running were also one/two at Moonee Valley with the late I'm Thunderstruck (NZ) (Shocking) so game in defeat in both races.

This year's favourite Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) was fifth last year, coming off the same form as this time around - a win in the G1 Underwood S.

The only other horse to back up from 12 months ago is the stayer Nonconformist (Rebel Raider) who was not far away and whose lead-up run in the Underwood was a bit better this year than it was in 2022.

The new blood here is the imported galloper Just Fine (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) who is yet to taste defeat on Australian soil - faced with the challenge of a drop back in distance off his determined G1 Metropolitan H. victory.

The triple Group 1 winner Duais (Shamus Award) showed an encouraging return to form with her Underwood third whilst the bold front runner Deny Knowledge (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai) has drawn to give a sight.

G1 Toorak H. - all eyes on Amelia's Jewel

The final event on the 10-race program at Caulfield and it certainly seems a case of saving some of the best for last with racegoers keen to see how the star Western Australian mare Amelia's Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}) fares on her march through the spring carnival.

Not surprisingly she has opened favourite though at this stage not as short as she was when winning the G2 Stocks S. and the G2 Let's Elope S. as an odds-on pop - both times against the mares whereas this time she takes on a variety of classy milers.

None of them are Group 1 winners at the 1600 metres but between them, The Inevitable (Dundeel {NZ}), Pinstriped (Street Boss {USA}), Pounding (Exceed And Excel), Antino (NZ) (Redwood {GB}), Ironclad (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Charterhouse (GB) (Charming Thought {GB}) have raced over the trip on 46 occasions - winning 20 times, 10 of those at stakes level.

Of course, Amelia's Jewel has also shown herself to be a fan of the distance - two starts, two wins; the Stocks last time out and last spring's G2 Western Australian Guineas.

The Toorak has not proven a particularly happy hunting ground for mares in recent times though it has not always been that way with the first two runnings way back in 1881 and 1882 taken out by the girls - Josephine (Kelpie {GB}) and Verdure (Bethnal Green {GB}).

Another nine runnings of the race were taken out by mares up to the 1960s before a rush of success in the 1970s with four winners between 1973 and 1977 including the star Leilani (NZ) (Oncidium {GB}) who went onto G1 Caulfield Cup success the following weekend en route to a G1 Mackinnon S. victory and a second to her stablemate Think Big (NZ) (Sobig {NZ}) in the G1 Melbourne Cup.

Canny Lass (Bletchingly) was the only female winner during the 1980s and Ricochet Rosie (Galveston {GB}) the sole 1990s winner with the three most recent being Divine Madonna (Hurricane Sky) in 2007, Allez Wonder (Redoute's Choice) in 2010 and More Joyous (NZ) (More Than Ready {USA}) in 2010.

In saying that, the field generally consists of mainly males with no females taking part last year though three face the starter on Saturday with two of Amelia's Jewel's recent rivals Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) and See You In Heaven (Divine Prophet) again taking her on.

G1 King Charles III S. - another G1 Cox Plate lead-up

A race re-named (it was the G1 George Main S.) and moved to provide big-race support to The Everest at Randwick, the race with the royal moniker (and trophy!) has $5 million on offer and the weight-for-age mile contest has attracted a hot field.

Which is only apt for a race boasting such a proud history, won by the likes of Shannon, Wenona Girl (Wilkes {Fr}), Kingston Town (Bletchingly), Emancipation (Bletchingly), Vo Rogue (Ivor Prince {USA}), Lonhro, More Joyous (NZ) (More Than Ready), Winx (Street Cry {Ire}), Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) and Anamoe.

There are a few G1 WS Cox Plate winners in that list and it may prove an even stronger guide this year being run closer to the big one.

The favourite Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) has only ventured to Randwick on two occasions and what successful visits they have been - the popular Lindsay Park galloper taking out the last two editions of the G1 Doncaster.

And he is racing in career best form having won all three of his spring assignments the form around him continuing to stack up.

It has been a while since Hayes family success in this race - Planet Ruler (Kaoru Star) back in 1991 - but they sure have the right candidate this time around!

Chris Waller on the other hand has been dominating this race in recent years, cheering home eight of the last eleven winners including three in a row with Winx. He attacks the race with a team of five this year, the most strongly fancied of those being the high-class mare Fangirl (Sebring).

James Cummings also knows how to win this race with two of the last four - Anamoe and Avilius (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) - but he tackles the race with less firepower, the stable's sole runner being Golden Mile (Astern) who ran such a cheeky race in the G1 Epsom H. two weeks ago.

Some interesting jockey action here too with Zac Purton and Hugh Bowman both over from Hong Kong, both partnering with imported gallopers making their local debuts - the former aboard Light Infantry Man (Fr) (Fast Company {Ire}) and the latter on Buckaroo (GB) (Fastnet Rock).

Gallery: Imported jockeys partnering with imported gallopers in the G1 King Charles III S. at Randwick, images courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Both jockeys have already won this race (Bowman on four occasions) whilst in form in recent times has been James McDonald who has won the last two; Fangirl giving him a big chance for a third.

And there are more chances to with the likes of Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}), Think It Over (So You Think {NZ}) and Hope In Your Heart (Dundeel {NZ}) all boasting solid credentials.

G1 Livamol Classic - yet another G1 Cox Plate pointer?

Should the favourite win this race at Hastings and pull up well, it may be that she heads to Moonee Valley for a crack at the G1 WS Cox Plate and it would certainly add interest to see one of New Zealand's best in the field - the terrific mare Mustang Valley (NZ) (Vanbrugh).

And what a Cox Plate pedigree she has, the dual Group 1 winner (including this same race last year) not only hailing from the same family as the 1998 hero Might And Power (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) but being line-bred to it.

Her's is a fascinating pedigree, her sire Vanbrugh being out of a mare by Lucky Owners (NZ) whose stakes-placed grandam Benediction (Ire) (Day Is Done {Ire}) is Mustang Valley's fourth dam.

And this 5 X 4 cross of that mare is supported by strains of Sir Tristram (Ire) and Star Way (GB) who are both high-achieving descendants of Benediction's fifth dam, the famed matriarch Selene (GB) (Chaucer {GB}).

Mares boast a good record of winning this race (one known for a number of years as the Kelt Capital) in consecutive years; Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands) in 2019 and 2020, Princess Coup (by Vanbrugh's sire Encosta De Lago) in 2007 and 2008 and La Mer (NZ) (Copenhagen {GB}) in 1978 and 1979.

They join Gloaming (The Welkin {GB}), Picaroon (NZ) (Pictavia {GB}), Game (NZ) (Faux Tirage {GB}), Duty Free (NZ) (Bourbon Prince {USA}) and Lomondy (NZ) (Noble Bijou {USA}) as other multiple winners of this Group 1 run over the same distance (2040 metres) as the Cox Plate.

Mustang Valley won this race (by a big margin) last year having been second in the G1 Arrowfield Stud Plate at her previous outing, a race which this year she won as favourite with a bit in hand.

Her rivals this time around include last year's placegetters Justaskme (NZ) (No Excuse Needed {GB}) and Defibrillate (NZ) (Shocking) who can both again prove competitive - the former in similar form to last year whilst the latter was first-up last year and second-up this time having incurred an eye injury when resuming.